Legendary former All Black captain Wayne 'Buck' Shelford is understood to be on the short-list for the vacant North Harbour coaching position.

Harbour officials will conduct interviews on Monday, with the short-list also featuring departing Northland coach Mark Anscombe.

Shelford first spoke of his desire to get back into provincial coaching with Yahoo!Xtra on September 25, saying: "Coaching is coaching. But I have been out of the North Harbour and New Zealand scene for six years. But I suppose you have to get back into the system if you want to go to the next level up."

At the time he also expressed an interest in applying for the Auckland coaching berth, applications for which close in late October.

Shelford is the most iconic figure in North Harbour's 23-year history, a time when the province has only enjoyed third division and second spoils, plus a short-lived and relatively low-key tenure as Ranfurly Shield holders.

For the amount of talent that has come through the province, the success generated by North Harbour is poor - to say the least.

So is now the right time to 'Bring Back Buck'?

What the province is crying out badly for is a strong coach, someone who can both get the best out of his players as well as unite and ignite a province which seems to have scant regard for its rugby team.

Despite having a modern stadium, the side has consistently been unable to attract even modest-sized crowds to Albany's North Harbour Stadium.

There are several reasons for that, including the fact that given its location it can be a nightmare to get to if Auckland's motorway system is having one of its regular grid-locks.

The other is the fact that many of the inhabitants on the North Shore simply don't relate to North Harbour.

Some are true Auckland fans, having supported the blue and white hooped jersey well before the North Harbour Rugby Union was set up in 1985.

For that to change it needs an icon of the game to galvanise support on the North Shore, someone in the mould of Shelford.

One thing standing in his way is the fact he has been out of top-line coaching for the past six years.

But even if North Harbour opt for Anscombe, which seems likely, then they would be wise to get Shelford involved in the future coaching/management structure in some sense.

That could be as manager.

Figure-heads don't come much better than Shelford - giving him a role where he could both mix with and inspire players, sponsors and fans alike.

What do you think?

Should Shelford be welcomed back as Harbour coach? Or would you go for his former team-mate Anscombe?

Meanwhile, the international rugby arena may not be perfect, but it certainly has got it all over its rugby league counter-part.

In less than two weeks, eight nations will do battle for the Rugby League World Cup across the Tasman.

It is the first time the 13-man code has had a World Cup to battle for since 2000.

A League World Cup is just about as one-sided as the Netball World Championships - it really is a two-horse race, at best.

In the build-up comical player availability issues have already been hammered out, including dragging players from one nation's squad to another.

Numerous squads also feature players who have very tenuous links to the nations they are representing.

The joke continues with three teams from one of the pools being guaranteed semifinal spots. Just one team from the second pool will make the top-four.

So while rugby certainly isn't perfect, at least it is in a far better position internationally than league's Mickey Mouse state of affairs.